Clutch mechanism for washing machines



N O s K c A J M M CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Oct. 31, 1936 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITE STTES PTE r FFlQE CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR WASHING MACHINES Appiication October 31, 1936, Serial No. 108,635

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in washing machines and has particular reference to a clutch mechanism used for connecting the agitator of a washing machine to the driving power.

My invention principally concerns those washing machines in which the conventional tub is used as part of the machine and the operating unit is placed on top of the stationary tub with an agitator projecting into the tub. As distinguished from many other types of washing machines my machine has an overhead drive and the principal object of my invention is to provide a clutch mechanism in this overhead drive which is particularly efficient and smooth in operation, substantial in construction, easily manipulated and so constructed that no lubricant may leak into the tub of the washing machine.

While I have developed my clutch mechanism in connection with a washing machine it is apparent that it may be used in other connections in which similar situations are presented.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a Vertical section through my clutch mechanism and cooperative portions of a washing machine, and

Figure 2 is an exploded view showing the different parts of my clutch mechanism in perspective.

While I have shown only the preferred form or" my invention I wish to haveit understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto at tached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The complete arrangement of my washing machine is shown in my co-pending application, Serial Number 108,634, filed October 31, 1936, covering an agitator for a washing machine and. in this application only those parts are shown which immediately cooperate with the clutch mechanism.

A plate I is made to overlie one of the two compartments of a standard tub, not shown in the drawing, and is surmounted by a cover plate 2, an intermediate section of which is spaced from the base plate I as shown in the drawing and serves as a mounting means for the motor, (not shown), as well as a support and guide means for the manipulating handle 3 of my clutch mechanism.

The base plate i has a basin 4 suspended therefrom, the basin being secured by means of bolts 5 and the base plate having an opening 6 coex tensive with the top opening of the basin. The

basin is formed with a cylindrical opening I in the bottom thereof and has a depending cylindrical flange 8 reinforcing the margin of the opening. A bushing 9 rises from the opening and makes liquid tight connection with the flange. It rises to a height substantially level with the top face of the base plate i so that no lubricant may escape from the basin into the tub below.

My clutch mechanism comprises in itsprincipal features, three parts, the supporting means H) for the agitator H, the drive means I2 and the clutch IS with its manipulating means.

The supporting means ill for the agitator, which latter is described in detail in my. co-pending application, comprises a sleeve i i revolvable in the bushing 9 and having a head it bearing against the bottom faces of the bushing 9 and the flange 8, a washer it being interposed between the latter parts and the head. The sleeve extends to a height slightly below that of the bushing and has a collar ll making contact with the bushing in its lower portion while the up-. per portion of the sleeve is slightly reduced in diameter to be spaced from the bushing as shown at l8. Immediately adjacent the top it is formed with an annular recess to receive a pack ing 20 which prevents grease from passing be-' tween the sleeve and the bushing.

The inner face of the sleeve M is made angular in cross-section and a bolt 2! projects into the sleeve from above to a point substantially midway between its ends, and is rigidly held therein. The head 22 of the bolt projects above the sleeve and the bushing and also projects through a pair of washers 23 resting ontop of the bushing, the bolt head being held against removal in a downward direction by means of a split ring 24 which is clamped into horizontal grooves 25 in the bolt head immediately above the washers and rests on the washers.

A shaft 26 supporting the agitator H is introduced into the sleeve from below and is held against endwise movement by the set screw 21.

It will be noted that'in this construction the sleeve it serves as the supporting means for the agitator and is suspended from the top of the bushing Q through the washers 23 with freedom of rotary motion.

The drive means comprises a second sleeve 28 revolvably mounted upon the outsideof the bushing 9 and resting on a Washer. 23% lying on top of the basin. The bottom portion of the sleeve is provided with gear teeth by means of which reciprocating rotary motion, is imparted to the sleeve through an oscillating toothed sector 30 indicated in dotted lines. The sleeve is formed, above the gear teeth, with an annular inner oil groove 3| to which a lubricant is admitted through a port 32 extending from the toothed section into the groove in an upwardly inclined direction.

The upper end of the sleeve 28 extends above the top of the bushing and also above the top of the bolt head 22 and is formed with a squared opening 33 adapted to slidably receive the squared clutch element [3. The inner faces of the squared opening 33 are concaved as at 34 to form a cylindrical bore through which the washers 23 may be lowered upon the top of the bushing 9.

The clutch element l 3 has a squared outer face 35 adapted to' be slidably received in the upper end of the sleeve 28 and has a squared inner face adapted to ride on the bolt head 22. Since the top of the bolt head is lower than the top of the sleeve 28, the clutch element may be lifted out of engagement with the bolt head without leaving the sleeve 28.

For lifting theclutch element I provide the manipulating handle 3 which is supported in the top plate 2 with freedom of sliding motion be. tween two end positions and which is secured to the clutch element with freedom of selfadjustment between axial and slightly offset positions.

The means forfastening the handle to the clutch element comprises stretched across a recess in the clutch element and formed with a central opening 37 and a pair of discs secured to the handle in spaced relation and riding on opposite faces of the diaphragm. That portion of the handle confined between the discs is smaller in diameter than the opening in the diaphragm so that the handle is free to move parallel to itself and to adjust itself to an offset position in case the supporting means in the top plate should be slightly out of alinement with the axis of the agitator.

The top supporting means for the handle comprises a knob 38 lying on top of the plate 2 and having a downwardly projecting collar 39 passing through a hole in the plate and a disc secured to the bottom of the collar having projecting tongues 40 hearing against the bottom of the plate. The tongues may be lowered through a pair of registering recesses M in the plate and brought into clamping engagement with the plate by a turning movement of the knob. Two springs 42 are stretched across the collar 39 and are tensioned to enter one of the two grooves 43 in the handle 3 when the handle reaches its upper or lower end position for yieldingly locking the handle. A head 44 is threaded to the top of the handle.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The sleeve l4 and the bolt 2| are made to form a single unit as shown in Figure 2. In assembling, the sleeve 28 is first placed onthe outside of the bushing. Next the sleeve I4 is introduced from below; the washers 23 are introduced from the top to rest on the topof the bushing and the sleeve I4 is lockedto the washers by the split ring 24. Next the clutch element, to which the handle is secured, as shown in Figure 2, is'introduced with its upper end projecting through the opening. in the plate 2 and the knob 38 is lowered over the handle and clamped in place. The head a diaphragm 36 44 of the handle may now be screwed in'place to complete the assembly.

The drawing shows the clutch in active position in which it transmits rotary motion from the outer sleeve 23 to the inner sleeve l4. To render the clutch inactive it is only necessary to lift the clutch element l3 by means of the handle 3 until it loses contact with thebolthead 22 While still being confined in the upper portion .of the sleeve 28, so as to be ready for immediate re-engagement by a downward movement of the handle.

I claim:

1. In a clutch mechanism of the character described, a vertical bushing, a rotary member adapted for insertion into the bushing from the bottom and having a shoulder limiting its upward movement, a washer resting on top of the bushing, the rotary member having a portion projecting through and above the washer and having a horizontal groove immediately above the washer, and an element held in the groove and bearing on the washer for holding the member against downward movement relative to the washer.

2. In a clutch mechanism of the character described, a vertical bushing, a rotary member adapted for insertion into the bushing. from the bottom and having a shoulder limiting its upward movement, a washer resting on top of the bushing, the rotary member having av portion projecting through and above the washer and having a horizontal groove immediately above the washer, and an element'held in the groove and bearing on the Washer for holding the member against downward movement relative to the washer, the rotary member having a packing bearing against the bushing immediately underneath the washer.

3. In a clutch mechanism of the character described, a basin having a lubricant therein; a vertical bushing in the basin rising above the normal lubricant level, a sleeve revolvable on the outer face thereof and having a grease hole for admitting lubricant between the contacting faces, a rotary member Within the bushing and suspended from the upper edge thereof and a driving connection between the sleeve and the rotary member above the bushing, the rotary member having a packing bearing against the upper edge of the bushing above the normal lubricant level to prevent the lubricant from passing along the inner face of the bushing.

4. In a device of the character described, a clutch element having a recess and a diaphragm stretched across the recess with a central hole in the diaphragm, a manipulating element having revolvable clutch element guided for axial movement, a rectilinearly movable manipulating elefrom the other end and having an annular oil groove connecting the cylindrical bore and the squared recess with a port leading from the outside to said groove and the faces of the squared recess being hollowed to form a' mutilated cylindrical bore within the recess.

7. In a clutch mechanism, a vertical bushing, an inner rotary member suspended from the upper edge of the bushing and having a non-circular portion projecting above the upper bushing edge, a sleeve revolvable on the outside of the bushing and having a portion projecting above the bushing fashioned with a non-circular bore surrounding the projecting portion of the rotary member, and a clutch element slidable in the non-circular bore of the sleeve and held against rotation with respect to the sleeve, the clutch element having a non-circular opening made for sliding over the projecting portion of the rotary member for establishing driving connection between the projecting portions.

8. In a clutch mechanism, a vertical bushing, an inner rotary drive member having a non-circular portion projecting above the upper bushing edge, a sleeve revolvable on the outside of the bushing and having a portion projecting above the bushing fashioned with a non-circular bore surrounding the projecting portion of the rotary member, and a clutch element slidable in the non-circular bore of the sleeve and held against rotation with respect to the sleeve, the clutch element having a non-circular opening made for sliding over the rotary member for establishing driving connection between the pro jecting portions.

9. In a clutch mechanism of the character described, a vertical bushing, a rotary member adapted for insertion into the bushing from the bottom and having a shoulder limiting its upward movement, a washer resting on the top of the bushing, the rotary member having a portion projecting through and above the Washer, and means engaged with the rotary member above the washer and bearing on the latter for holding the member against downward movement relative to the washer, the rotary member having a packing bearing against the bushing immediately underneath the washer.

10. In a clutch mechanism of the character described, a basin having a lubricant therein, a vertical bushing in the basin rising above the normal lubricant level, a sleeve revolvable on the outer face of the bushing and having an annular oil groove on the inner bore thereof confronting the bushing, the sleeve having a grease hole for admitting lubricant into the oil groove from the basin, a rotary member within the bushing, and a driving connection between the sleeve and the rotary member above the bushing, the rotary member having a packing bearing against the upper edge of the bushing above the normal lubricant level to prevent the lubricant from passing along the inner face of the bush- 11. In a device of the character described, a clutch element having a recess and a diaphragm stretched across the recess, the diaphragm having a hole therein, a manipulating element having a portion smaller in cross-section than the hole and projecting therethrough, and discs bearing on opposite faces of the diaphragm for holding said reduced portion in the hole with freedom of lateral movement therein and for retaining the manipulating element against endwise movement relative to the diaphragm.

12. In a device of the character described, a casting having a cylindrical outer face with gear teeth formed therein, the casting having a cylindrical bore extending thereinto from one end and a squared recess extending thereinto from the other end, the casting having an annular oil groove connecting the cylindrical bore and the squared recess with a port leading from the outside to the said groove.

1 MERLIN M. JACKSON. 

